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Letters to the Editor Thursday

Posted: April 19, 2012 - 1:08am

The April 16 letter to the editor by Wayne Carney of Eldora had a great headline: “Local lawmakers stab Ogeechee in the heart.” It just needed a subtitle: “And serve it to King America Finishing on silver platter.”

I wish that those lawmakers who voted for SB 427 (Jack Hill, Buddy Carter, Ann Purcell, Ron Stephens, Jan Tankersley, and Ben Watson) were as interested in expediting King America’s vague future environmental projects as they are about insisting that the state Environmental Protection Division expedite industry permits and renewals.

Years ago, I worked in the laboratory at Katalistiks in Savannah. Katalistiks was an industry that took its environmental responsibility seriously. We monitored ammonia and total suspended solids daily. A number of times, we took the plant down, at a financial cost, when we were in danger of exceeding our discharge permit into the Savannah River.

Emily Markesteyn, director of the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, is the speaker this evening at 7 p.m., as part of the Coastal Ecology Lecture Series at the Dolphin Reef restaurant on Tybee Island. I’m sure there won’t be any Bass a la King America on the menu.

BEN GOGGINS

Tybee Island

Asberry correct in his views about Sharpton

I always read the letters to the editor, but have never felt the need to respond to a letter until now. Marilyn Jackson’s comments (April 14) about Derrek Asberry’s views on the Trayvon Martin case were so laced with racism I found myself compelled to respond.

Mr. Asberry is correct about his views of Rev. Al Sharpton. Not once do I recall the man speaking out when injustice occurred against a “white” man. Every one of her comments was centered around “black” this and “black” that.

Having grown up in the era when I can remember both black and white water fountains, I feel it is high time the people of this country learn to look past the color of one’s skin, and accept each individual as just another human being. Only when this happens can we truly call ourselves the “United” States of America.

JOSEPH PERRY

Savannah

Another vote for a cruise ship terminal

I am in agreement with Mike Campbell when he wrote on April 12 that we should not build another stadium on Savannah River Landing when a lot of money was spent on fixing up Grayson Stadium on Victory Drive.

As he said, that site would be perfect for a cruise ship terminal, which would bring millions of dollars to the city through tourism. It could be called the Edna Jackson Cruise Terminal, as Mr. Campbell suggested. Get busy with it, Alderman Tony Thomas.

Also, I am in total agreement with Raymond Piechocki who also wrote on April 12 that Johnny Mercer Boulevard should not be touched. It would be ruined if they took down all those beautiful oak trees. He also mentioned not building a new stadium when Grayson Stadium is wonderful as it is.

GRACE TUTEN

Savannah

More important issues than fried chicken

Mary J. Blige made a commercial about the new crispy chicken wrap by Burger King. The ad was criticized for promoting racial stereotypes and Burger King pulled its YouTube page, ostensibly because of a music licensing issue.

I could not find one black person who said they would have been offended by the commercial. The people who made a fuss over this are idiots and Burger King is a coward.

Black people, we have serious stuff to deal with and we are letting so-called leaders tell us we should be upset about fried chicken. If Burger King was worried about losing customers, then they just lost this one.

Burger King should have come to the average black person instead of letting a few fools make choices for all of us.

ROBERT L. JONES

Allenhurst

Night at the ballpark created memories

On April 9, my family and I had the pleasure to attend the Sand Gnats baseball game. Three cheers to the Sand Gnats, who won the game 1-0 against the Rome Braves.

It was the first game for Justin, my 7-year-old grandson, and the staff made his night special as he was picked for a game, bouncing to the mascot on the field between innings. What a pleasure it was for him to participate, a night he will never forget.

His dad 18 years ago was picked to do a game of spin on the bat. It left a lifelong memory.

I recommend to all, young and old — spend a night at our historic Grayson Stadium with the Sand Gnats. You will not be disappointed.

THOMAS T. ANDERSON

Ellabell

Why no mother-son photo look-a-likes?

The Savannah Morning News always does a big spread on Mothers Day with look-a-like photos and/or articles regarding mothers and daughters. What about mothers and sons?

Now while I do enjoy seeing it, I am a mother of two sons. I celebrate Mothers Day, not Mother and Daughter Day.

I would love to see articles with moms and their children, not just look-a-like mother/daughter pairs. I know I’m not the only mom out there who doesn’t have a daughter who might feel the same way.

LARA GIGNILLIAT SUTHERLAND

Savannah

Streeter should take fewer days off

It’s dangerous for Mark Streeter to take a day off from his editorial cartoon commentary.

On April 16, a scary, explosive cartoon by caglecartoons.com burst upon the space normally occupied by Streeter’s mild/fair/humorous cartoon commentaries.

Democrat Hillary Rosin (herself a mom) commented that Ann Romney had never held a job (and therefore was ill-suited to advise her husband on women’s employment concerns). That comment became an extremely large bomb in the April 16 editorial cartoon space.

My favorite conservative commentator, Kathleen Parker, explained it well: “Anger should not be directed to Ann Romney or Hillary Rosen, but to those who take tiny utterances and inflate them to phony distractions.”

Streeter would probably depict the utterance as an acorn falling from the tree under which the cartoon mom and her two children were standing.

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should have finished the ad rather than letting a "rough cut" show up on its YouTube page. The issue is not fried chicken, the issue is how "first impressions are the ones that last." Black people aren't the only ones who saw the commercial but at least there were some "so-called" leaders who recognized the implication such an unfinished commercial would leave. Too bad Robert L. Jones didn't outline what makes up "the average black person." At least he could have named one item of "serious stuff to deal with."
Derrick Asberry's editorial was a real piece of work. I'll give Marilyn Jackson's letters more credibility than I would give an intern who is still wet behind the ears. Asberry still has some lifetime experiences to go through. Seems like the only time people go through the motions of looking past skin color is when the other nations of the world point out America's shortcomings and get propaganda mileage from them.

Name just one country that is more tolerant across the board and more free than the United States. If you can think of one, perhaps THAT country can credibly "point out America's shortcomings". As for Marilyn Jackson vs. Derrek Asberry, longevity does not necessarily bestow credibility either. If that were the case, Al Sharpton would be much more than just a race-baiter who tries and convicts folks in the court of public opinion and sets the lynch mob in motion before all the facts are in. (Can you say Tawana Brawley? Duke lacrosse team?)

We must be looking at different editorial pages. Streeter fair? When he starts poking at Obama (other than just his ears) and Harry Reid, I might buy that. As long as he reserves his nastiness for conservatives, I think "fair" is a bit of a stretch. And he frequently misses the boat on "mild" and "humorous", too.